When Calls the Heart Season 12: Cast and plot details

Trudie Graham
Elizabeth Thornton in When Calls the Heart Season 11.

When Calls the Heart Season 12 is coming, so here’s what stories might be rolling in soon on the romantic drama, and the year new episodes will arrive.

When Calls the Heart Season 11 ended on June 23, 2024, and the sweet Western TV show pulled on heartstrings enough to warrant Hallmark ordering new episodes.

Questions like whether Lucas will return in Season 12 are chief among our speculation, so there’s plenty to dig into before the next season’s premiere.

It’s early days, but we’ve rounded up what the cast and crew have breadcrumbed so far, as well as confirmed details on the production.

Is there a release date?

There’s no release date, but When Calls the Heart Season 12 is coming in 2025.

Hallmark shared an announcement video on June 24, 2024.

In a TV guide interview following the When Calls the Heart Season 11 finale, showrunner Lindsay Sturman said, “It’s thrilling to be in Season 12 of any show, but especially this show with such an incredible fanbase.

It’s an amazing cast with so many stories to tell,” she continued, “we hope the show goes on for years because we only get to tell so many stories each season.”

When Calls the Heart Season 12 plot

Sturman revealed the plot “will focus on romance as we follow Elizabeth and Nathan’s relationship,” and that Season 12 picks up immediately after the Season 11 finale.

Nathan in When Calls the Heart Season 11.

In the same interview, the showrunner added, “Little Jack would be starting school and some of our main students are graduating.

Telling stories about these big moments lets us touch on themes of facing the future, overcoming fears, and following your true path to happiness, which is, of course, Elizabeth’s story – following her heart.”

While Season 11’s Jack bombshell worried invested fans, Sturman said, “They’re on a journey to get closer, people should not worry.”

This is a cozy Hallmark series, after all. There might be twists and heartbreak, but there will also be warmth to level the scales.

Season 12 cast

Erin Krakow as Elizabeth, Kevin McGarry as Nathan, Chris McNally as Lucas, Kavan Smith as Lee, and Hyland Goodrich as Little Jack are returning.

Confirmed When Calls the Heart Season 12 cast:

  • Erin Krakow as Elizabeth Thornton
  • Kevin McGarry as Nathan Grant
  • Chris McNally as Lucas Bouchard
  • Hyland Goodrich as Little Jack
  • Kavan Smith as Leland “Lee” Coulter
Chris McNally as Lucas in When Calls the Heart Season 11.

Speaking to TV Guide, McGarry said he hoped the new couple is endgame, “We’re not going to destroy anything built in Season 11. I think we’re only going to strengthen it.”

Sturman’s comments on Season 12’s plot also made it evident series lead Krakow isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

There were murmurs of McNally leaving When Calls the Heart, but Sturman put that to bed, “he’s growing into this leader, Season 12 is a new chapter of him facing these challenges while trying to always do good for all the people that he represents and for Hope Valley.”

She mentioned Lucas would face a “push and pull” about perhaps returning to Capital City, with Lee in tow.

As for former series regular Daniel Lissing, Jack “is not coming back,” so we can cross him off the list.

As for the rest of the gang, while there’s no official word, we expect all the main characters from the finale to be back, considering Season 12 will start right after the events of Season 11 Episode 12.

Is there a Season 12 trailer?

There’s no Season 12 trailer. We likely won’t get one until 2025.

With production starting in the second half of 2024, we expect footage to crest by mid-2025.

You can stream previous seasons of When Calls the Heart on Hallmark Movies Now.

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